


like a bridge over troubled water

by emilia_kaisa



Series: advent challenge 2019 [6]
Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Character Study, Family Feels, Feels, How Do I Tag, Not Beta Read, Songfic, Teacher-Student Relationship, a lil bit, all the supportive stuff, bc they're family in my eyes, but like, mentions of Yuzuru, not romantic - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2019-12-06
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:13:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21694420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emilia_kaisa/pseuds/emilia_kaisa
Summary: Javi was a piece of work, but Brian didn’t regret agreeing to coach him even once.
Relationships: Javier Fernández & Brian Orser
Series: advent challenge 2019 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1559338
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21





	like a bridge over troubled water

**Author's Note:**

> 6th part of the challenge, this one made me extra emo, I hope you enjoy!  
> Song: 'Bridge over troubled water' by Simon & Garfunkel

Brian liked summer camps. It was always nice, to leave Canada for a bit, go to some new, fascinating part of the world and see all those kids with eyes full of wonder and hope for the future. And it wasn't like he had something better to do during those weeks anyway.

He recognized some faces right away during the first day, but he didn't dwell on it too much, determined to give everyone the same amount of attention.

“Excuse me, do you have a moment to talk?”

Brian flinched, tearing his eyes away from the ice and looking at the woman standing next to him, looking kind and vaguely familiar. 

“Yes, yes, I have a few minutes before I need to get there.” he said, gesturing at the rink and she smiled, nodding.

“Thank you, mister Orser.”

“Brian, please.” he asked and she smiled even brighter

“My name is Ana, and it’s very nice to meet you. What I want to talk to you, is something me and my colleagues were thinking about… Brian, would you consider coaching Javier Fernandez?”

Brian blinked quickly, the name sounding oddly familiar, and Ana smiled, turning to the ice and pointing at someone.

“Him.”

Brian followed her hand and saw a curly- haired boy who was currently swirling around with a tiny junior girl in his arms, her laughter flowing in the chilly air. Brian recognized him, a blurry memory of Javier’s name, ‘from Spain’ always catching everyone’s attention and making them raise their eyebrows. Brian couldn’t recall if he had ever seen the boy skate, but he for sure remembered him following Morozov, and his stomach churned unpleasantly. 

“He left his coach already?”

“Yes.” Ana said, wincing slightly “Right after world championships, and we’ve been talking about finding someone, hmmm, someone else.” she said and Brian could only imagine what she was holding back.

“Hmm.” he hummed, stalling a little, still a bit surprised by the sudden offer, and he looked at Javier again, who was now talking something, gesturing wildly. He seemed to have a good posture and a wide smile, that for sure, and Brian felt a spark of excitement igniting in his chest. Since Yuna and Adam had left, he didn’t really have anyone he could focus on, someone he could coach full time. 

“I guess I need to think about it.” he said, turning to Ana again and smiling at her slightly “But I’m not saying no.”

* * *

Javi was a piece of work, but Brian didn’t regret agreeing to coach him even once. 

Javi was a bit shy at first, a little awkward with English, but it seemed that he got accommodated pretty quickly, clearly experienced with moving around. At the same time he was kind of hard to tame, stubborn and not organised at all, and there were days Brian felt like he would go grey, trying to get into Javi’s head, and there were heated moments in which Brian thought briefly that _yeah, he’s not going back tomorrow, there goes my another coaching adventure._

But Javi always came back, sometimes a little bit late and sometimes perfectly on time, jaw set and eyes determined, trying until he would suddenly stop, deflating as if all strength left him, some vulnerable uncertainty flashing in his eyes.

“I don’t really understand.” Brian complained to Tracy when they were sitting in his office one evening “He’s so talented and he clearly loves to skate, but sometimes it’s like… I don’t know, it’s like…”

“Like he doesn’t believe in himself.” Tracy said calmly and Brian flinched, a bit surprised, but after a moment he had to agree with his colleague.

“Yeah.” he nodded slowly “Also, I sometimes feel like he doesn’t really understand how we work?”

“You know who his coach was.” Tracy sighed, patting Brian’s shoulder “He will come around, just give him time. I have a feeling he’s worth all the struggle.”

* * *

Tracy was right, as usual.

It was a long season, full of ups and downs, but by the end of it Brian knew that his work with Javi was only at its beginning, and the thought was making him feel warm and excited about the future. They were a good team now, communicating well, trusting each other. They were so similar, on the ice and off of it, and maybe that was why because they finally knew how to work together, and why they were still something eyeing each other with challenge in their eyes. 

The season didn’t end how they had hoped it would, but Javi still smiled, a little disappointed but quickly getting over it, reassuring Brian that all was good. They both needed vacation that flew way too quickly, and then suddenly Brian got a mysterious call from Japan that soon turned his nice routine upside down. 

“Javi, do you have a moment?” he asked the moment he stepped into the club and Javi looked at him with a hint of both curiosity and worry in his eyes.

“Have I done something?” Javi asked a few moments later when they were sitting in Brian’s office, voice light but expression a bit anxious, and Brian immediately felt bad for making him worry like that, and he hesitated, for a second. 

It had taken him time, to make Javi feel that he belonged there, that he deserved attention and care, and he didn’t want to ruin that, even for someone like Yuzuru Hanyu and all the prospects coaching him could bring. 

“Brian?”

“Yuzuru Hanyu wants to train here.” Brian blurted out before he could think it through and Javi blinked at him rapidly, confused.

“Here? With you?”

“He wants me to be his coach.” Brian nodded, giving Javi a slight smile “And he wants to train with you.”

“With… me?” Javi asked with disbelief and Brian nodded again, watching the whole spectrum of emotions running through Javi’s face, and crossing his fingers under the table. 

“Well.” Javi cleared his throat after a moment, shrugging and failing to look careless “Well, if you want to then-”

“No, Javi, wait.” Brian shook his head, leaning over the desk a little “I’m not telling you that I made a decision. I’m asking if you’re okay with it.”

Javi gaped, his eyes going wide, disbelief written all over his face again before he collected himself, a small smile appearing on his face.

“I think it’s a good idea.”

“Yeah? Are you sure? Because if it would make you feel uncomf-”

“I think you can handle both of us.” Javi grinned, clearly relaxing with every second “I trust you.”

“Okay.” Brian smiled back, relieved “Okay, well, that’s all in that case, go warm- up and I will be with you in a few, just gotta make a call.”

“Sure.” 

Javi was about to leave, one hand on the door knob, but then he stopped, turning to look at Brian, his smile softer.

“Thank you, Brian. Really.”

“Of course.” Brian nodded, smiling warmly “I’m here for you always, you remember that.”

“I do. And won't forget."

_Sail on by_

_Your time has come to shine_

_All your dreams are on their way_

_See how they shine_

_Oh, if you need a friend_

_I'm sailing right behind_

_Like a bridge over troubled water_

_I will ease your mind_

**Author's Note:**

> Like it? Hate it? Thank you so much and thank you for reading!


End file.
